In the Beginning...
...there was someone, somewhere, who needed a place to sleep after a long day of travelling. Whether it was his tired feet, or his aching back, or the incessant squeaking of his wagon wheels, he knew he needed a break. Did this person have a babe and a mule, guided by a star, wandering from door to door with his new bride? Maybe. More than likely, honestly. But regardless of who this hapless traveler was, he wasn't the first, or the last, and someone eventually saw the need. So, naturally, the jump from just having an extra guest room in some precious European couple's home, to full on, 24-hour room service, in-room hot tub, butler, waiter, concierge, shoe-shiner (and a healthy dose of complimentary chocolate-covered strawberries waiting upon check-in) was born. Or rather, is still being born. Is being refined? Maybe you get my point.
Hospitality has come a long way since the days of the Medieval Inn. Certainly, there are very noticeable changes. The lack of a good stable (and attentive stable-boy, for that matter) is definitely something our wandering ancestors might gripe about. Certainly, the plentiful barrels of mead, or a turkey leg or two, may not be staples of a modern place of lodging. But in the place of these we find what has taken their place - the modern machine that is the Hospitality Industry.
11 Howard
And what better place to watch and admire these ever-turning gears than New York City? You could start at TriBeCa's Cosmopolitan, which since the early 1800s has been New York's oldest operating place to lay one's tired head. Or for something new, what about SoHo's exclusive 11 Howard, which boast's a tenet of "Conscious Hospitality" - in their own words, approaching the modern hotel with "awareness, purpose, and thoughtful consideration."
The point is, New York showcases some of the most stunning, exclusive, and inviting properties in the world. So as a student of these majestic, mysterious hotels, I invite you to join all of us here at the Humble Pineapple Club as we showcase some of our favorite places to rest, relax, or entertain ourselves and our guests. So grab your room keys and make sure you get that late check-out.
““I charge thee, invite them all: let in the tide
Of knaves once more; my cook and I’ll provide.””